Microsoft Buys SportCenter Ads, Quizzes Viewers

If you’re watching ESPN’s SportsCenter tonight, you might notice all seven minutes of advertising are for the Microsoft Xbox 360 including its “Cops and Robbers” spot and “Mad World” for the game Gears of War. Pay attention: viewers will be prompted to enter the three-week online sweepstakes at Xbox360winitall.com and answer five questions about the commercial spots.

It’s OK, a 60 percent average, three correct questions of five, will get you entered to win. Prizes include a trip to Bristol, Conn to visit the set of ESPN’s SportsCenter; Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment systems as well as games and accessories for the systems.

Correction: Microsoft evidently did not qualify for its own sweepstakes. Three points it corrected in a follow-up e-mail include:

• People are not automatically entered into the sweepstakes; they have to get three out of the five questions correct to be in it. (I actually think they got this right the first time — Ed)
  
• People do not win a free trip to Bristol, Conn. to visit the set of SportsCenter, but will win “a trip to New York, including a tour of the ESPN Studios.” (because who really wants to win a trip to Connecticut? — Ed)
  
• The date that the sweepstakes ends is December 19 and not December 18. (no comment — Ed)